


Smoke Clings

by MissLouisa



Series: Oneshots [7]
Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-12-15
Updated: 2014-12-15
Packaged: 2018-03-01 14:59:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,240
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2777435
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MissLouisa/pseuds/MissLouisa
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Cora goes to the party not expecting much.</p><p>She finds fire, and Lydia.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Smoke Clings

Cora only goes to the party because she knows Braeden wanted some alone time with her brother. That, and Stiles showing up at the door demanding to know why she isn't ready yet, Lydia was waiting, they were going to do predrinks, etcetera etcetera.

It all sounds very lame and unoriginal, but Cora hasn't socialized much since getting back. She likes Lydia, anyway. A little too much, but she's hoping the werewolves haven't honed their skills enough to pick up on that.

It's freezing and Lydia takes one look at her outfit and marches her back upstairs and picks out something different. Cora argues and eventually they agree on Cora's dark jeans and stompy boots but a shirt that Cora has genuinely never seen before. Lydia is also unimpressed that Cora's still living out of a suitcase.

She refuses all makeup, but Lydia concedes that battle fairly quickly.

Stiles raises his eyebrows when they get back to the jeep but doesn't comment, which is good because Cora isn't really feeling up to hitting him at the moment. Lydia's arm is linked through hers and it's filling her with a terrifying warmth.

"Scott, Allison, and Isaac are all waiting at mine," Lydia tells her on the journey. "Are you sure Derek doesn't want to come?"

Cora shakes his head. "I don't want to think about what him and Braeden are doing now I'm out of the house."

"Prude?" Lydia asks, conversationally. Stiles snorts, beside her, and Lydia smacks him on the arm.

"Only about straight people," Cora says, daring them to comment. She hasn't really told anyone officially that she's gay, but she's hinted heavily enough that she's not all that interested in men. Derek knows, at least.

"So if Braeden were a guy," Stiles says, and Cora snorts.

"Fuck off," she tells him, and he flashes a grin at her in the rearview mirror.

Predrinks is a fairly low key affair, and Cora realizes half way through that Scott has definitely picked up on that fact that she likes Lydia from the way he keeps glancing between the two of them.

Maybe Cora needs to focus on her body language as well as just praying the others haven't figured out how scenting works.

It's a few blocks from Lydia's to the party and the six of them are staggering, loud and excitedly, the whole way. Cora's mostly sober - she'd felt obliged to taste test Stiles' concoction of something she doesn't want to know about - but everyone else seems fairly gone. Scott's a small delighted child when he sees a firework let off, and lets out a whoop and disentangles himself from Stiles to howl.

Lydia's got her arm linked through Cora again, although this time it's probably so she can use Cora to keep herself upright as she wobbles on her teetering heels down the sidewalk.

"They're all idiots," Lydia says, whispering. It's a loud whisper.

Cora bites back a giggle and then they round the corner and the party is in front of them.

Cora can't breathe.

All she can see are the flames. Bright and orange and dancing in front of her, filling her vision. The group dissipates, Isaac spotting someone he recognizes and Allison following, Scott and Stiles heading immediately for where more drinks can be found.

That leaves just Cora and Lydia, standing in front of the bonfire. It takes a moment for Lydia to connect the dots and realize why they've stilled, though her forward momentum still carries the two of them a few paces closer to the fire.

Cora's dimly aware of the heat pushing against her like a force, but she wants to walk closer to the fire. Wants to reach out and put her hand into it and see if it'll burn her like it burnt everyone else.

She's lost Lydia, the warm press of her skin absent, and all she can hear is the crackling of the flames.

"Hale," Lydia yells, and suddenly there's a hand on her shoulder pulling her back and Cora's aware that she's at a party and there are tears on her face and people are staring.

"I'm fine," Cora says. Her throat is so dry it comes out more as a croak than anything else, but she brushes off Lydia's hand and makes to leave anyway.

"Cora," Lydia says, following after her. She has to jog a bit to catch up, which can't be pleasant in those heels, but Cora barely acknowledges it.

She can still feel the heat on her skin.

"Hey, Cora, wait!" Lydia says, this time grabbing Cora's hand and pulling her so she has to turn and face her.

Cora's glad that at least she's not crying anymore.

"I'm just going to go home," she says, pointing a thumb vaguely over your shoulder.

"You're not even going the right way," Lydia says quietly.

Cora doesn't say anything.

The air feels a little like it's smoky and she wonders which way the wind is blowing over the fire. If she'll still be able to breathe, and if she'll smell so much like smoke when she gets home that Derek will have to leave the room.

"I'm sorry," Lydia says. "I didn't think about the bonfire, I didn't realize how big it would be."

Cora shrugs. "I'm fine," she repeats.

Lydia takes a step closer, still holding Cora's hand.

"You're not fine," Lydia says. She reaches up with her free hand to brush Cora's hair behind her ear. "It's okay to be upset."

Cora rolls her eyes and takes a step back. "Forget it. Go enjoy your party, Lydia. You're drunk, you're young, make the most of it."

"Cora," Lydia says plaintively as Cora starts walking away.

There's a pause and Cora assumes she got away with it, before Lydia runs up with her heels in her hand and stands directly in her path.

"Lydia," Cora says back. "What?"

Lydia rolls her eyes, this time. "You say this stuff like you're not also a teenager just like me."

Cora feels her lips twitch. "I'm a werewolf," she says.

"Also, a teenage girl," Lydia points out.

Cora shrugs.

"Everybody understands why you don't like fire," Lydia says. "You don't have to storm off. We're here for you."

"You're here for me," Cora corrects gently. "The others are all too drunk for this kind of touchy-feely shit."

Lydia narrows her eyes. "I'm always here for you. You know that, right?"

"I'm fine," Cora says again, but gentler this time, like she hopes with a change of tone Lydia might believe her.

"Okay," Lydia says. "But I don't think you should be alone right now."

Cora folds her arms across her chest.

"I'm not going back to that party," she tells Lydia.

"Perfect," Lydia says. "It looked lame anyway. All the fun was happening at my house."

Cora feels her brow uncreasing without her consent but she can't deny that she'd like to spend more time with Lydia. At Lydia's house, maybe, when her parents are out.

It's a pleasing idea, that's all.

Lydia takes her face as an acceptance and takes Cora's hand again to lead her back to Lydia's home.

Cora doesn't know why the hand linking is necessary, but she appreciates it anyway.

Especially when Lydia plants a firm kiss on her lips before they enter the house, leaving Cora surprised and bemused.

She's glad the others aren't here to witness this, at least.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading!
> 
> I'm on tumblr at [argentwolvs](http://argentwolvs.tumblr.com).


End file.
